AG-7604-S-17-0017_Questions_and_answers.pdf

Section Page (of 63 page Solicitation) Question USFS Responses

Section 7.9 Part 5 – Applicable Publications

Pages 15 and 20 of

What categories of Privacy Act information is anticipated to be part of the cloud-based remote sensing image processing platform?

At the moment we don’t anticipate any information, but it might change as we progress through the evaluation of the proposed solutions.

Section 2 Page 6 Please describe the beta-tested platform referenced in SOW Section 2.

The Forest Service evaluated a public, web-based cloud-based image processing service that was freely available for beta testing. The platform provided access to public-domain imagery and products. In addition, the platform allowed users to perform simple and advanced analysis on those images and products.

Section 2.0 / Section 7.1 Page 6 and 13 of 63

Section 7.1, page 13 of 63 states a base period and two option periods. Section 2.0, page 6 of 63 states a base period and 4 option periods. Please clarify which is correct in order to provide correct pricing.

Corrected to read Base plus two option periods.

Section 3 Page 6 of 63 Please clarify what years of NAIP imagery are your highest priority?

All publically-available NAIP – no preference of priority if all are not accessible

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 Please provide additional detail about which other high-resolution datasets may be required.

Access to other high resolution datasets is not required, although the ability to ingest or access high resolution data besides NAIP will be evaluated.

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 Please provide additional detail about which other MODIS-derived products may be required.

Because of our wide variety of resource specialists in the agency, we require all MODIS land data products listed on https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/.

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 Please provide additional detail about which other coarse resolution imagery datasets may be required.

VIIRS. Sentinel 3 OLCI is also a possibility.

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 For datasets that require daily ingestion (I.e.

MODIS) how much archival imagery will be required to be maintained?

All https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 How often will the services need to be updated with new imagery?

As soon as possible after acquisition

Section 3 Page 7 of 63

USGS is currently redoing the surface reflectance datasets. Please clarify if USFS priority would be historical or new versions of this dataset?

New, unless the timeline for delivery of those products put us outside the period of performance (needs to be available within the base year of the contract).

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 Is surface reflectance required for all requested datasets?

No

Section 3 Page 7 of 63 USGS is working on analytic-ready data, does USFS anticipate needing that as well?

No, although could be considered for future ingestion.

Section 3 Page 7 of 63

Please clarify what is meant by "all available Sentinel 2 Imagery". Does this mean what is available from USGS or directly from ESA?

The Science Cloud? Available to access directly or able to download?

From ESA. The USGS likely has a subset of the data.

Should be made available to access and analyze like the Landsat data.

Section 3 Page 8 of 63 Please confirm that "online access" under the Access requirement means direct access, not download.

Yes, direct access for analysis, not as a download-only file.

Section 3 Page 8 of 63 Please specify which analytical and processing capabilities will be expected to be provided?

Standard image processing functions (e.g., band ratios, image classification, pan sharpening [such as HSV], focal statistics, cost analysis, terrain, etc.). In addition, the platform should provide the means for user customization through the scripting of algorithms.

Section 3.1

Please confirm Past Performance references should be provided within the written report document.

Past performance is not part of the 50 page requirement.

Section 4 Page 11 and 12 of

Would USFS be open to alternative price structures? For example, a base platform fee that including storage and compute to support 40 simultaneous users, plus optional fees in the event that additional storage and compute are required beyond the base platform. The base platform fee would

Yes, alternative price structures are encouraged if available from offeror.

include pricing for the required upload and access to stored or derived data, access and processing, and dissemination.

Section 4 Page 11 and 12 of

Please provide an estimated number of clicks per month? Number of queries?

Completely unknown. Please define click or query. Is there an algorithm development cost vs.

production cost? Will we get charged to test new algorithms (and potentially run scripts repeatedly to meet expected results)?

Section 7.2 Page 13 of 63

Please clarify if the “applicable IT security policy” us meant to cover Sections 7.2 – 7.14.

If not, please provide a copy of the applicable policy for review.

Yes, and also applicable FAR clauses and guidance from OBM Circular A-130 https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-07- 28/pdf/2016-17872.pdf

Section 7.2 – 7.14 Part 5 Pages 13 – 17, 20-22

Several references in Section 7.2 – 7.14 and Part 5 (applicable publications) speak to secured cloud environments. While not explicitly stated, is a cloud certified with either FISMA or FedRAMP authorization required?

Integrity of products generated using cloud platforms is of critical importance to the Forest Service. Offerors should be able to demonstrate their ability to keep data secure and maintain integrity of data inputs and derivative data products. As a pilot project offerors would not initially be expected to be FISMA or FedRAMP compliant, but this would be a requirement for the longer term. Consequently, offerors that meet FISMA and FedRAMP standards may be viewed more favorably.

Section 7.14 Page 17 of 63 If no application development is required is the Global Information Assurance Cert of Secure Programming required?

No this certification is not required.

Section 7.14 Page 17 of 63 Would CISSP certification be an equivalent to the Global Information Assurance Cert of Secure requirement?

Not Applicable

Part 6 – Fillable Administrative Page 22 of 63

Please confirm that the fillable administrative forms should be provided as part of the written report outside of the page limitations

The 508 compliance documentation is not part of the 50 page technical report page limitation.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-07-28/pdf/2016-17872.pdf https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-07-28/pdf/2016-17872.pdf

Forms required to be completed:

(508 GPAT, Reps and Certs, Felony Conviction Tax Delinquent).

Part 6 – Fillable Administrative Forms required to be completed:

Please confirm the “Felony Conviction Tax Delinquent” form is incorporated as part of the Reps and Certs (52.212-3) on Solicitation Pages 43-63. If not, please provide a copy of the form for review and signature.

This information is not part of the 50 page technical report limitation.

General – Format

Please clarify where any exceptions, comments, or clarifications pertaining to Contract Clauses and Solicitation Provisions should be provided.

Submit them as a separate attachment with your proposal

General - Technical What, if any, SLA is required for the cloud environment?

No SLA is required.

General – Technical

Is USFS amenable to having design and authoring environments being provided by a desktop client? A desktop component would support integration with other internal datasets more readily than a web-only solution.

Possibly – if there are synergies with existing enterprise solutions or data, this would be intriguing. However, for Forest Service international work, we often work with web-based or open-source solutions given the audience, so we do have a strong interest in web-based solutions.

General – Technical If a web-only solution is required, would a virtualized client be acceptable?

Yes, I think … although I’m not sure what this means exactly.

General - Administrative Would USFS be amenable to providing an extension for submission to 7 April 2017?

See new date of April 5th 2017 on SF 30

3.1

Phase 1 requires offerors to submit a written report describing capabilities.”

Phase 2 – “The respondents that are selected for Phase 2 will be required to demonstrate the

Presentation of Factor 2: Cost and Factor 3: Past Performance follow the presentation of Phase 2 - Demonstration of Capabilities Deliverable details in the solicitation. As a result, it is unclear as to whether Factor 2 Cost and Factor 3 Past Performance are due with Phase 1 - Written Report, or with Phase 2 - Demonstration of Capabilities, if selected.

Page 2 of SF 1449 indicates that pricing structure (Factor 2: Cost) should be provided separately

Offerors will submit Cost structure and past performance review as part of the phase 1 review.

Pricing Structure, Past Performance, and any other required documentation is not part of the 50 page write up limitation and can be included as separate documentation.

capabilities of their platform by providing live demonstrations…” from the technical proposal (Phase 1 – Written Report) and a page limit is not specified. Is Factor 3: Past Performance is due with Phase 1 – Written Report, and, if so, is that content included within or in addition to the 50-page limit of that section?

Request the Government please provide clarification.

3.0

Climate and Weather:

The platform should include a variety of global climate and weather layers, such as:

PRISM

PRISM data is listed as a requirement of the service. However, the license on this data is limited to non-commercial use. Is the US Forest Service able to download the PRISM data directly from Oregon State and upload it to the pilot service to meet this requirement?

PRISM should be listed as an optional dataset and not required. Yes, the USFS would be amenable to uploading the dataset.

2.0, 7.1

"The USFS has previously beta-tested a platform for operational requirements and is now interested in seeking a short-term (e.g., one base year plus four one-year options)…"

7.1 The Period of

Performance:

Base Year: May 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018

The information on pages 6 and 13 regarding the period of performance do not seem to align.

Corrected see amendment FS requires a base plus two options.

7.15

“All electronic and information technology (EIT) procured through this Statement of Work/Bill of Materials

Is self-certification page for 508 compliance sufficient to meet the 508 compliance requirement?

See Attached GPAT and fill out comments and information and any resulting contract, task orders, delivery order, or purchase order must meet the applicable accessibility standards at 36CFR 1194, unless an agency exception to this requirement exists

7.2, 7.5

7.3 Protection: The

Contractor shall be responsible for properly protecting all information used, gathered, or developed as a result of work under this task."

"7.5 Documentation Ownership: The draft and final deliverables and all associated working papers and other materials deemed relevant by the COTR that have been generated by the Contractor in the performance of this contract are the property of the U.S.

Government and must be submitted to the COTR at the

These 7.0 subsections contain references to "tasks" and "deliverables" although the previous scope and requirements sections (2.0 and 3.0) do not include project tasks or deliverables.

A. Could the government please clarify what is meant by "task" and "deliverable" in the following references?

B. If a resultant contract will include deliverables, we request the inclusion of task requirements and a Deliverable Schedule in the RFP.

There are deliverables listed with each phase listed in section 3.1 Task is a general term relating to the award.

conclusion of the tasks to include concept of operations

(CONOPS)."

PWS/Solicitation Reference Question - Point of Clarification

2.0 Scope & Objectives; 7.1

PoP

Section 2.0 indicates the government is “seeking a short-term (e.g., one base year plus four one-year options) paid-for agreement to use a platform with these capabilities,” while Section 7.1 defines a Base Year and two Option Years as the Period of Performance.

Please clarify the desired Period of Performance.

Corrected the government is asking for a base plus two options.

2.0 Scope & Objectives This section mentions that the USFS

has previously beta-tested a platform for operational requirements and is now interested in seeking a short-term paid-for agreement to use a platform with these capabilities. Since that beta-test activity will well position that solution for winning this award, in order to provide a fair chance for other companies to compete, can the USFS share results of this beta testing, such as (a) ability to fully meet operational requirements, (b) cost of the platform that was tested, (c) such as issues or limitations learned?

(a) The beta test showed that service could meet all the required options listed in the RFP and the RFP has evaluation criteria that equate to the beta test.

(b) The platform tested was freely available to beta test. Staff time to complete testing is part of operational activities of center.

(c) Some of the limitations included an awkward connection to standard vector GIS data (e.g., shapefiles), difficulties exporting and downloading derived products, and data or map dissemination among external users.

3.0 Functional Business

Requirements - 1. Storage;

7.0 Contractual

Requirements “Part 4” Contractor-Furnished Items and Services

Is the Contractor to propose and price the cloud computing environment itself? If so, in order to ensure competitive bids from all vendors, will the Government specify their choice of cloud environment between: 1.) on-premises/ private cloud, 2.) hybrid private/public cloud, or 3.) public cloud services?

3 – Forest service is looking for public cloud services.

Forest Service is not looking to have anything hosted beyond datasets requested for the public cloud platform requested.

3.0 Functional Business

Requirements - 1. Storage

Storage requirements list a large variety and types of datasets to be

The required datasets are all in the public domain stored and accessible on the cloud.

Will the Government please provide approximate sizing for each of these datasets to enable more accurate (and consistent across vendors) sizing for the cloud?

(Landsat, MODIS, NED, etc.) for which vendors have access to. They require petabytes of storage.

3.0 Functional Business

Requirements; RFP Page 1 SF1449 box 20

SF1449 Box 20 states “This is a …solicitation for commercial items…In the PWS, there are no requirements presented for any sort of implementation services (installation, setup, training, support, program management, etc.). It appears the solicitation is limited strictly to the purchase of a software solution for cloud-based remote sensing/image processing (i.e., “commercial items”).

To ensure competitive bids from all vendors, will the Government please confirm no labor should be proposed?

The vendor should include a pricing structure for technical support for users (helpdesk?

Forum? Customer service rep?). Beyond that, access to the platform is as described.

3.1 Evaluation Criteria /Basis

for Award/Phase 2 - Demonstration of Capabilities

The “live demonstration” discussion states, “Any necessary training data or documentation of algorithms required to complete these demonstrations will be provided by the Government via the USDA cloud-based data sharing platform, CloudVault.” Does the Government intend to use CloudVault as their internal cloud for all data storage?

For the demonstration, CloudVault is our agency’s cloud storage solution. The use of CloudVault will not be required for implementation of the image processing solution.

3.1 Evaluation Criteria /

Evaluation Criteria for Phase 2/Factor 3 “Past Performance” vs. Factor 1 Phase 1 “Written Report.”

Past Performance factor requests 3-5 written descriptions of relevant experience as it relates to the technical requirements. Recommend the Government clarify that Past Performance is a separate proposal deliverable that is not to be included in the 50-page page count limit for the “written report describing capabilities.” Please confirm.

Past Performance is outside the 50 page technical write up.

3.1 Evaluation Criteria /

Phase 1 Factor 1 “Written Report” vs. 7.0 Contractual Requirements / Part 6 “Fillable Administrative Forms required to be Completed:”

RFP Section 7.0 Part 6 requires completion of: 508 GPAT; Certs & Reps; and Felony Conviction Tax Delinquent documents. Recommend the Government clarify that these are a separate proposal deliverable that is not to be included in the 50-page page count limit for the “written report describing capabilities.” Please confirm.

508 response is not part of the 50 page technical request.

4.0 Platform Licensing /

Pricing Structure

Request the Government to confirm it is seeking a single Firm Fixed Price for our solution, along with a set of assumptions and conditions pertaining to that price.

Correct Firm fixed price

7.0 Contractual

Requirements, Part 1, Administrative Matters Section 7.14

As per the SF1449, the solicitation is issued for commercial items IAW FAR Part 12 and generally commercial computer software and documentation are delivered with restricted &/or limited rights. Can the Government clarify their understanding that any commercial computer software developed entirely at private expense that is delivered under the resulting contract will be delivered with restricted rights and is not subject to the Data Rights clause at paragraph 5 under Section 7.14 of Part 1?

Make sure you specify that solution is commercial computer software/ resulting contract will be adress

PART 6 Fillable Administrative Forms required to be completed:

1) 508 GPAT

2) Certs & Reps

3) Felony Conviction

Tax Delinquent

Will the Government supply the word document versions of the referenced “Fillable Administrative Forms” for each of the three specified forms that are required? It is noted that Part 1/Section 7.15 states “The Technical Exhibit 5 with GPAT Checklist shall be completed and submitted by the contractor with the POSS Proposal.”, and no such attachment was found with the RFP that was posted via the FEDBIZOPPS combined synopsis/solicitation for AG-7604-S- 17-0017.

GPAT is attached with amendment, Certs & reps, are part of the

SOL.

General Will the Government accept offers that are submitted against contractor’s applicable GSA Schedules for the commercial items that are being solicited?

No this is an acquisition outside the GSA procedure

General After the pilot phase, do you anticipate the user base growing beyond the 40 users and the USFS GTAC to include USDA wide usage of this platform? In addition, will the future use of this platform include public facing services?

Yes, user base could grow beyond 40 users but this is difficult to speculate with current information. Forest Service can’t guarantee the department will utilize this same solution and contract.

The Forest Service does not have any decision making authority for the USDA, but the outcome of this will likely influence USDA decisions.

General Will there be more than one award for this RFP?

No

General Can GTAC provide us with the name of your cloud service provider? How will this solution integrate with or rely on the broader USDA cloud architecture?

Other than special applications, Forest Service has no cloud service provider as of current. There are no plans for this system to integrate with any FS or USDA cloud solution as of this contract.

For the demonstration, CloudVault is our agency’s cloud storage solution. The use of CloudVault will not be required for implementation of the image processing solution.

In addition, GTAC has an extensive internal network of servers used for storage and processing, but a very limited distributed processing capability. That should not play into the pilot phase(s).